Fish lock bending press



June 28, 1966 o. LADOUCEUR 3,257,834

FISH LOCK BENDING PRESS Filed March 14, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR OSCAR ZADOUCEUR June 28, 1966 o. LADOUCEUR 3,257,834

FISH LOCK BENDING PRESS Filed March 14, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 28, 1966 o. LADOUCEUR 3,257,834

FISH LOCK BENDING PRESS Filed March 14, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Mus/v r 4 5} 4 05cm? z/wou fu/f United States Patent "ice 3,257,834 FISH LOCK BEN DING PRESS Oscar Ladouceur, 648 Gloucester St., Cornwall,

Ontario, Canada Filed Mar. 14, 1963, Ser. No.'265,254 Claims priority, applicatiogfilanada, Feb. 26, 1963,

3 7 Claims. (Cl. 72-309) This invention relates to a sheet material bending press.

More particularly, this invention relates to a fish-lock bending press manually operated for forming fish-locks in sheet material.

There are at present many various types of bending presses for forming different types of bends of various shapes in sheet material. In general, these devices are highly complicated, are expensive and are usually adapted for one single bending operation. For small manufa turers, they represent a capital outlay which is almost impossible.

The applicant has now developed a bending press for forming fish-locks in sheet material which is economically manufactured, simple in construction, reliable in operation, durable and efficient. A bending press according to this invention includes a supporting frame of vertical frame members and upper and lower transverse and longitudinal frame members connected to the vertical frame members. There are transverse channel members connected to the top of the supporting frame, a sheet pressing means consisting of a fixed member and a movable member mounted on the transverse members, and treadle means pivotally mounted on the lower part of the supporting frame. A series of levers pivotally connected to one another and pivotally connected to the treadle means controls the movement of the movable member of the pressing means. A sheet material bending means, with sleeves connected to the bending means, is slidably supported on a supporting member mounted on the forward part of the channel members. A lever means is pivotally connected to a further supporting member mounted on the transverse channel members, with levers pivotally connecting the lever means to the sleeves for movement of the bending means into operative or inoperative position.

A preferred form of the applicants apparatus includes a frame formed of vertical and transverse metal frame members for supporting a bending and pressing mechanism. A hand-operated bending mechanism is supported on the top of the frame and a foot-operated pressing mechanism is supported within and on top of the frame. The parts of the mechanism for operating the bending mechanism are identical on each side of the frame and are joined and operated together for simultaneous operation by various shafts and rods. Similarly the parts of the device for operating the pressing mechanism are identical on each side of the frame and are joined and operated together for simultaneous operation by other various shafts and rods.

A foot-operated longitudinal shaft is mounted in the lower part of the frame on two transverse levers which are pivoted to the vertical members of the frame. Vertically adjustable levers are pivotally connected to the two transverse levers. A longitudinal rotatable shaft is mounted on the rear top part of the frame. Levers are fixed to the rotatable shaft and to the upper ends of the vertically adjustable levers. Other levers are fixed to the rotatable shaft at one end and the other ends of these levers are pivotally connected to bars which move transversely of the frame. The bars are connected to a movable pressing member which cooperates with a fixed -pressing member for pressing the fishing lock of the 3,257,834 Patented June 28, 1966 2 metal plate being operated upon. The hand-operated bending mechanism functions separately from the footoperated bending mechanism and includes fixed supports mounted on top of the front part of the frame and slidable sleeves mounted on the fixed supports. One end of the brackets is fixed to the sleeves and the other end of the brackets is fixed to a transverse upwardly and downwardly movable member to which a bending blade is attached on one side. A hand-operated shaft is connected at its ends to the upper ends of transverse levers. The transverse levers are pivotally mounted on fixed vertical supports mounted on top of the frame. The lower ends of the transverse levers are pivotally connected to further levers. The other ends of these further levers are pivotally connected to the slidable sleeves for controlling the movement of the bending blade from operative to inoperative position.

Having thus generally described the invention, it will now be referred to in greater detail by reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment and in which;

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a piece of sheet metal with the fish-lock as produced by the fish-lock bending press of the present invention.

FIGURE 1A is a perspective view of the fish-lock bending press for producing the fish-lock as shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1A of part .of the fish-lock bending press in inoperative position with parts in cross-section.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIGURE 2 of FIGURE 1A of the fish-lock bending press in partia operative position with parts in cross-section.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG- URES 2 and 3 of the fish-lock bending press in a further operative position with parts in cross-section.

Referring to the drawings and in particular to FIG- URES 1 and 1A, the fish-lock machine consists of a frame 1 formed of four vertical angle frame members 2, 3, 4 and 5, two lower transverse horizontal angle frame members 6 and 7 between and connected to the vertical frame members 2and 3 and vertical frame members 4 and 5 respectively, and four upper horizontal frame members 8, 9, 14 and 11 between and connected to the tops of the vertical frame members 2, 3, 4 and 5.

As shown in FIGURES 1A and 2, transverse channel members 12 and 13 are fastened by bolts or other means to the top side of the frame .1. Two vertically longitudinally mounted pressing plates 14 and 15, to be further described in detail, are provided for pressing the fishlock. The pressing plate 14 is fixed in position and the pressing plate 15 is movable horizontally towards and away from the pressing plate 14.

As shown in FIGURES 1A and 2a treadle is provided for operating the movements of the pressing plate 15. This consists of a shaft 16 for operation by the foot of the operator. The ends 17 and 18 of the shaft 16 are mounted on the outer ends 19 and 20 of transverse levers 21 and 22 respectively. The levers 21 and 22 are of such a length that they extend forwardly of the frame members 2 and 5 to provide a convenient position for the footoperated shaft 16. The rear ends 23 and 24 of the transverse levers 21 and 22 are respectively pivotally bolted or otherwise pivotally fastened at 25 to the lower parts of the vertical frame members 3 and 4. The transverse levers :21 and 22 are further held in fixed position relative to one another by a transverse rod 26. Springs 27 and 28 are provided for maintaining the treadle in inoperative position as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. The springs 27 and 28 are provided with books 29, 30,

, 31 and 32 at their ends. The hooks 29 and 30 are attached to the rear parts of the transverse frame members 8 and 10 respectively, while the hooks 31 and 32 are connected to the front parts of the transverse levers 21 and 22 by the apertures 33 and 34 respectively.

Apertures 35 are provided in the rear parts of the transverse levers 21 and 22 through which vertical adjustable levers 35 and 37 and pivotally mounted on pivot pins 38 as shown in FIGURE 2. The vertically adjustable levers 36 and 37 are formed of U-shaped lower parts 39 and 40 with bars 41 and 42 screwed into the upper ends of the U-shaped parts and through the lower ends of the U-shaped parts the pivot pins 38 are passed. The upper ends of the bars 41 and 42 are fixedly connected to vertical parts 43 of the vertically adjustable levers 36 and 37. Plates 44 are fastened to the rear inner sides of the transverse channel members 12 and v13 and to the upper side of the horizontal frame members 8 and 10.

A rotatable longitudinal shaft 45 is shown in crosssection in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 and is mounted between and on the plates 44. Levers 46 have one end fixed to the rotatable shaft 45. The other ends of the levers 46 are pivotally connected to the upper ends of the parts 43 of the adjustable levers 36 and 37 by pivot pins 47. Levers 48 have one end fixed to the rotatable shaft 45.

The other ends of the levers 48 are pivotally connected to the outer ends of levers 49 by pivot pins 50. The other ends of the levers 49 are pivotally connected to the outer ends of horizontally movable plates 51 by pivot pins 52. A longitudinal channel member 53 as shown in cross-section in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 is fixed to the inner sides of the forward parts of the transverse channel members 12 and 13. The vertical longitudinal plate 14 is fixed to the front surface of the channel member 53, and a longitudinal horizontal plate 55 is fixed to the upper surface of the channel member 53 and the top side of the plate 14. The front edge 56 of the plate 55 and the front surface 57 of plate 14 form a fixed surface against which one side of the fish-lock is pressed.

Transverse plates 58 and 59 are fastened on the channel members 12 and 13 and the plates 55 are spaced apart by a longitudinal plate 60 to form transverse grooves 61. A longitudinal plate 62 is fastened to the horizontal longitudinal plate 55 and spaced apart from the plate 55 to form a groove 63 to receive the forward edge of the metal sheet to bebent. A horizontal longitudinal metal member 64 rectangular in cross-section as shown in F IG- URES 2, 3 and 4 is mounted so that its upper horizontal part 65 which is extended on both ends slides transversely in the transverse grooves 61. Apertures 66 are formed in the vertical part 15 of the member 64, apertures 68 are formed in the plate 14 and apertures 69 are formed in the longitudinal channel member 53. A transversely movable bar 70 is passed through the apertures 66, 68, and 69. One end of the bar 70 is fastened to the movable plate 51 and the other end is fastened to the movable part 15 of the member 64 for forming a surface against which one side of the fish-lock is pressed.

As shown in FIGURES 1A, 2, 3 and 4, forward sloping metal supports 71 having their lower ends 72 bent inwards are bolted at 73 to the transverse plates 58 and 59. The upper parts of downwardly and rearwardly sloping bars 74 are fixed to the plates 59 and the channel members 12 and 13. Sleeves 77 are slidably mounted on the bars 74. Brackets 78 are fixed at their outer ends 79 to the sleeves 77.

A longitudinally mounted movable member 80 is fixed at its ends to the inner ends of the brackets 78. The member 80 may be formed of two angle bars in the shape as shown in cross-section in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4. The lower part 8]. may be extended on both ends and the inner ends of the brackets 78 fixed to these extensions. A facing plate 82 is fixed to the lower surface 83 of the part 87 to the sleeves 77 as shown in the FIGURES 2, 3 and 4. Levers 88 are pivotally connected at their upper ends by pivot pins 89 to the support plates 86. The lower ends of the levers 88 are pivotally connected to the ends 89a of levers 90 and 91 by pivot pins 92 and 93. The ends 94 and 95 are connected together by a rod 96 to form a hand lever. Vertical angle members 97 and 98 are fixed to the upper surfaces of the channel members 12 and 13. The lower parts of the levers 90 and 91 are pivotally connected by pivot pins 99 and 100 to the upper parts of the angle members 97 and 93. Bars 101 and 102 are fixed to the levers 90 and 91 in a predetermined position as shown in FIGURES 1A, 2, 3 and 4. The outer ends 103 of the bars 101 and 102 are provided with adjustable contacts 104 for contacting the upper surface of the member 80 when the hand lever 105 is pulled forward for a bending operation.

FIGURE 1 shows a piece of sheet metal 106 on which a fish-lock 107 has been formed by the machine above described. In operation a piece of sheet metal is first cut to proper size which must allow for the fish-lock.

With the machine in its inoperative position as shown in FIGURES 1A and 2 the piece of metal is placed on top of the member 64 and the plate 55 in the groove 63. The hand lever is pulled towards the operator by gripping the bar 96 through which the pivotally connected levers 90, 91, 88, the sleeves 77, the bars 101 and 102, and the member 80 are moved from the position shown in FIG- URE 2 to the position shown in FIGURE 3. The bending blade 34 bends the piece of metal 106 downwardly into the space between the two pressing plates 14 and 15. With the hand lever 105 still pressed forward, the operator presses the foot levers 22 and 23 downward by means of the foot treadle shaft 16, through which the pivotally connected levers 22, 23, 36, 37, 46, 49 and bars 70 move the member 64 rearwardly and press the bent part of the piece of metal against the bending blade or plate 84 and the pressing plates 14 and 15 as shown in FIGURE 4. The hand lever 105 is' then raised to inoperative position to remove the bending blade 84 and the foot treadle released to return through the springs 27 and 28 the treadle to its original inoperative position as shown in FIGURE 1A. The foot treadle shaft 16 is again pressed downwards which draws the member 64 again rearwards against the partly completely fish-lock 107 and presses and completes the fish-lock. The foot treadle is again released and the completed piece of metal with the fish-lock removed.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to the specific embodiments it is to be understood it is to be construed broadly and limited only to the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A fish-lock bending press for sheet material comprising, a supporting frame including vertical frame members, and, upper and lower transverse and longitudinal frame members connected to the vertical frame members, transverse channel members connected to the top of the supporting frame, a sheet material bending means, sleeves connected to said bending means and slidably supported on a supporting member mounted on the forward part ofsaid channel mmebers, lever means pivotally connected to a further supporting member mounted on said transverse channel members, levers pivotally connecting the lever means to the said sleeves for moving the bending means between an operative position in which the bending means is thrust into contact with sheet material fed to nected to said treadle means for controlling the movement of said movable member of said metal pressing means towards and away from the fixed member thereby to permit an initial pressing action to be exerted on the fishlock while sai-d bending means is in its operative position, and to permit withdrawal of the movable member and subsequent re-application thereof against the partially formed fish-lock to complete the fish-lock, said bending means being withdrawn to its inoperative position subsequent to the withdrawal of said movable member and before the re-application thereof against the partially formed fish-lock.

2. A fish-lock bending press for metal plates, as defined in claim 1, wherein the movable member of said pressing means is slidably mounted in grooves formed between plates mounted on said transverse channel members, rods connected to the movable member and passing through apertures in said fixed member of said pressing means,

in claim 1, wherein the treadle means consists of a footoperated shaft fixed to the outer parts of a pair of pivotally mounted levers, and springs connected to the said levers and to the upper parts of the supporting frame for returning the treadle means to inoperative position when not in use.

5. A fish-lock bending press for metal plates, as defined in claim 1, wherein said bending means consists of a downwardly and upwardly movable member, a bending blade mounted on one side of said movable member,

and brackets fixed to the ends of the said movable member and to the said slidable sleeves.

6. A fish-lock bending press for metal plates, as defined in claim 1, wherein said lever means consists of a handoperated rod, levers connected tothe ends of said rod,

said levers pivotally mounted on vertical members fasv tened to the said transverse channel members, bars fastened at one end to the levers and adjustable means mounted on the other ends of said bars.

7. A fish-lock bending press for metal plates, as defined in claim 1, wherein a rotatable longitudinal shaft is mounted on the upper rear part of the said frame and parts of said series of levers controlled by said treadle means are connected to said rotatable shaft.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,008,509 11/1961 Stalker et al 72--403 3,174,322 3/1965 Cookson 72 -403 FOREIGN PATENTS 12,929 10/ 1886 Great Britain.

CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

W. H. JUST, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A FISH-LOCK BENDING PRESS FOR SHEET MATERIAL COMPRISING, A SUPPORTING FRAME INCLUDING VERTICAL FRAME MEMBERS, AND, UPPER AND LOWER TRANSVERSE AND LONGITUDINAL FRAME MEMBERS CONNECTED TO THE VERTICAL FRAME, MEMBERS, TRANSVERSE CHANNEL MEMBERS CONNECTED TO THE TOP OF THE SUPPORTING FRAME, A SHEET MATERIAL BENDING MEANS, SLEEVES CONNECTED TO SAID BENDING MEANS AND SLIDABLY SUPPORTED ON A SUPPORTING MEMBER MOUNTED ON THE FORWARD PART OF SAID CHANNEL MEMBERS, LEVER MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO A FURTHER SUPPORTING MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID TRANSVERSE CHANNEL MEMBERS, LEVERS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING THE LEVER MEANS TO THE SAID SLEEVES FOR MOVING THE BENDING MEANS BETWEEN AN OPERATIVE POSITION IN WHICH THE BENDING MEANS IS THRUST INTO CONTACT WITH SHEET MATERIAL FED TO THE PRESS THEREBY TO BEND A U-SHAPED CHANNEL INTO SAID MATERIAL AND INITIATE FORMATION OF A FISH-LOCK, AND AN INOPERATIVE POSITION IN WHICH IT IS SPACED FROM SAID MATERIAL, SHEET PRESSING MEANS CONSISTING OF A FIXED MEMBER AND A MOVABLE MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID TRANSVERSE CHANNEL MEMBERS, TREADLE MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE LOWER PART OF SAID SUPPORTING FRAME, A SERIES OF LEVERS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO ONE ANOTHER AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID TREADLE MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID MOVABLE MEMBER OF SAID METAL PRESSING MEANS TO- 